The Lawndale Reunion
by Claudette Helstrom
Summary: Part 7. Sorry for the wait! What do Daria and Trent decide?
1. The Invitation

Daria in: The Lawndale Reunion  
By: Claudette Helstrom  
  
Part One: The Invitation  
  
Summary: Twenty years after graduating from Lawndale High, Daria gets invited to her high school reunion. She decides not to go…until an outside force decides to step in.  
_Highland, Texas_     Daria groaned as she pulled into the driveway. She could hear the loud garage band from a block away, and after the day she had at the high school, she wasn't ready to hear this.  
  
    As Daria got out of her car, she remembered a conversation she had had with the band. They had promised to end practices before Daria got home. She was starting to wonder if any of them had a watch…or if they just had selective memories.  
  
    Daria opened her garage door and glared in at the band. The drummer Alicia, the keyboardist Meredith, and the bass player Ashley all stopped immediately. However, the guitarist was off in her own world. Daria cleared her throat and the red head stopped. She looked at Daria innocently.  
  
    "Is it five o'clock already?" she asked in an overly sweet tone. "Sorry, but we thought we had more time."  
  
    A corner of Daria's mouth went up and down so fast only the red head caught it.  
  
    "I'll even take you out to dinner. You like Burger World, right?"  
  
    "Mercedes, you know that I have to put up with brain-dead high school students all day," Daria reminded the fifteen year old.  
  
    "I'm offended. For that, I demand you take me to Burger World!"  
  
    Daria suppressed a chuckle. "Okay, I'll take you to Burger World! But don't come running to me when you get E. coli."  
  
    "Thanks, Mom. We'll finish up right now. Your mail's on the kitchen table."  
  
    Daria shook her head. Mercedes definitely had Morgendorffer genes…Quinn Morgendorffer genes. She told Mercedes to be ready in ten minutes, and then she went into the house. She walked into the kitchen and found the mail exactly where Mercedes said it would be, on the kitchen table. She found a particular letter of interest…or disinterest, depending on how one looked at it…from Lawndale High. She opened it up and read the letter.  
  
_Dear Graduating Class of 2002,  
    Lawndale High is having its 20 year reunion March 26, 2022. We would love to see you there! Please fill out and return the enclosed information card to RSVP by March 8. Thank you and see you at Lawndale High!  
  
Sincerely,  
Jodie Landon-Mackenzie  
2002 Class President
_  
  
    A high school reunion? Why would Daria Morgendorffer, a writer/English teacher at Highland High, want to go to a high school reunion to see the people she tried best to avoid the first time around?  
  
    "Mom?" a voice asked from behind.  
  
    "Eep!" Daria exclaimed, a bit surprised. She turned around to see Mercedes standing behind her.  
  
    "I'm ready," Mercedes said.  
  
    "Oh. Okay, I'm almost ready." Daria put down the letter and then left to get changed out of her long purple skirt and matching sweater into something more…herself. When she came back down a few minutes later in her black skirt, orange shirt, and green jacket, she saw Mercedes looking at the letter.  
  
    "Are you going to this, Mom?"  
  
    "Have you hit your head recently?"  
  
    Mercedes put down the letter and looked at her mother. "It might be fun! I mean, yeah, I know how you hated high school. As if the stories from you weren't enough, but the stories from Grandma and Aunt Quinn…oh, yeah, anyway…you had to have liked some aspects of high school. Like…your friends?"  
  
    "My friends wouldn't go to my high school reunion," Daria reasoned.  
  
    "How do you know? Maybe they would! Anyway, you did write two best sellers, and you have another one in the works. All my friends love Melody Powers. So you're a high school teacher…ignore that and rub their noses in the fact that you're more well known than the so called 'popular' kids."  
  
    "Bad day at school?"  
  
    "Why else would I suggest we eat some place that serves exotic viruses warm on a tray?"  
  


* * *

    Later that night, Daria considered what Mercedes had said, about rubbing her popularity in the faces of the popular kids. But the fashion fiends were a year younger than her, and she didn't mind Kevin and Brittany. And Jodie and Mack were pretty decent. That was really no reason for Daria to go back to her reunion.  
  
    But Mercedes had also suggested she go to see her friends. Jane wouldn't go to a high school reunion…or would she? Daria just didn't know.  
  
    After considering it, she decided it was just best not to go. There was really no reason to.  
  
    Meanwhile, in Mercedes room, she was filling out the reply card that came with the letter. She knew that if she were as famous as her mother was, she wouldn't be living in Highland, and she would definitely go to her high school reunion. Her mom already screwed up one facet of being famous, and Mercedes wasn't going to let her throw the other away.  
  
    "And maybe I can get a whole weekend of band practice out of it," she told herself. "All I have to do is convince Mom to go."  
  
    Deciding that she should later thank her Aunt Quinn for suggesting Mercedes RSVP for her mother, Mercedes wondered if she could have a party that weekend, too…  
  



	2. The Big House

Daria in: The Lawndale Reunion  
By: Claudette Helstrom  
  
Part Two: The Big House  
Summary: After Mercedes RSVPs for Daria, she gets caught, and Daria punishes her in a unique way. Meanwhile, not everything is how Daria planned either…  
_Lawndale, Connecticut_  
  
    Twenty years after graduating, Jodie Landon-Mackenzie couldn't believe she was still getting roped into organizing school events. Leafing through the RSVP cards, she found one of particular interest.  
  
    Daria Morgendorffer.  
  
    Jodie was completely surprised that Daria would actually come to a high school reunion. She hadn't come to the ten year reunion.  
  
    Looking at the card, Jodie soon realized she _knew_ Daria's handwriting. And this wasn't Daria's handwriting.   
  
    Deciding it was probably best to hear it from Daria herself, Jodie decided to call and make sure she was really coming…  
  


* * *

_Highland, Texas_  
  
    Mercedes had convinced the band to practice at Alicia's that day, so Daria had the house to herself. Daria couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed such peace and quiet…probably because she had never enjoyed such peace and quiet.  
  
    After a bit of reading, Daria decided to try to get another chapter of her newest Melody Powers book written. However, about half way through, the phone rang.  
  
    "Damn phone," Daria muttered to herself. After three rings, she decided to pick it up.  
  
    "This better be good," she told the person on the other end, not caring who it was.  
  
    "Daria, sorry to bother you, is this a bad time?"  
  
    Daria recognized that voice, she knew she did. "Jodie?"  
  
    "I can call you back later…"  
  
    "Now is fine," Daria said. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"  
  
    "As you know, I'm in charge of organizing the class reunion," Jodie started.  
  
    "I've decided not to go," Daria interrupted.  
  
    "You have? Well, I knew the handwriting on this RSVP card wasn't yours…"  
  
    "RSVP card?" Daria was confused. "Who could have…" That's when she got it. "Mercedes."  
  
    "What?"  
  
    "Oh, sorry Jodie, but it seems that an outside force has come into play. And who am I to argue with fate? I'll go to the reunion."  
  
    "You will?"  
  
    "Jodie, don't sound so surprised. Of course I will," Daria said.  
  
    If Jodie was thinking anything negative, she was wise not to say it, and the two hung up. Daria smiled her Mona Lisa smile as she decided to get even with that daughter of hers.  
  


* * *

    Mercedes came home to see her mother tearing the living room apart. She cocked an eyebrow as she decided that this was probably not normal.  
  
    "Uh, Mom? What are you doing?" Mercedes asked, slowly walking up to her mother.  
  
    "Mercedes! I've lost it," Daria explained, searching the cushions of the couch.  
  
    "Yes, you have," Mercedes replied, deadpan. "But what are you looking for?"  
  
    "The RSVP card for my reunion. I've decided to go and I can't find it."  
  
    Mercedes rolled her eyes. Was that all?  
  
    "Oh, Mom, I filled it out for you and sent it in. I knew you'd come around, and I figured that would save you time. I mean, you're reunion is in three weeks, and you had to RSVP by Tuesday."  
  
    "That was so thoughtful of you, Mercedes," Daria said. After a pause, she added, "You know, it's been ages since you've seen your grandparents. I think that when I go to Lawndale, you should come with me. I'll go call your grandmother and tell her we'll be there in three weeks."  
  
    Mercedes eyes went wide as she saw her mother leave the living room. She had to go to Lawndale, too? Her plan was falling apart…  
  


* * *

    That Monday, during Van Driessen's class, Mercedes was telling her friends about how her plan backfired.  
  
    "And now Mom is making me go to Lawndale with her. She already called Grandma. There's no getting out of it now!" she whined.  
  
    "Man! Then we'll have a whole lost weekend!" Meredith complained.  
  
    "I know! Can't you fake the Hungarian flu or something?" suggested Ashley.  
  
    Mercedes repeated the words "no getting out of it" when Alicia asked, "When exactly is this reunion?"  
  
    "March 26. Why?"  
  
    "Oh, my gosh, Mercedes! Do you not read the Entertainment of the newspaper ever? Mystik Spiral is giving a free concert in Lawndale that weekend, at the Zon! You can go while your mother's at the reunion! You could actually meet Trent Lane!"  
  
    "Really?"  
  
    Before the conversation continued, Mr. Van Driessen said, "Girls, while I appreciate your creativity and the ways you choose to express that creativity, I really need you to pay attention, okay? This project is pretty important."  
  
    After a chorus of "Yes, Mr. Van Driessen"s, Mercedes started thinking. Her mom must have known Mystik Spiral would be in Lawndale…Mercedes had the coolest mom in the state of Texas…  
  


* * *

    "Mom!"  
  
    Daria turned from the board where she was writing her class's assignment to see Mercedes right behind her.  
  
    "Miss Sloane?"  
  
    Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Miss Morgendorffer, is my mother around. I need to thank her for letting me go to Lawndale with her!"  
  
    Daria blinked. "What?"  
  
    "Yeah, Mom! You knew Mystik Spiral was giving a concert in Lawndale that weekend, and you decided that instead of being at home, bored, doing nothing, I should go enjoy the concert! Thanks, Mom! I have the best Mom ever!"  
  
    After giving Daria an excited hug, Mercedes ran off to find her friends.  
  
    Daria shook off her confusion. "I should have never given Tom a second chance in college. His daughter is a loon."  
  



	3. The Lost Girls

Daria in: The Lawndale Reunion  
By: Claudette Helstrom  
  
Part Three: The Lost Girls  
  
Summary: After arriving in Lawndale, Daria questions if she made the right choice, and Mercedes gets roped into something she'd much rather not do…  
  
_Highland, Texas_     "Hurry up, Mercedes! We have to be at the airport in twenty minutes," Daria called up the stairs, thinking she should have backed out of this as soon as her punishment for Mercedes had backfired.  
  
    Mercedes bounced down the stairs with her suitcase. "Hey, Mom, can I bring my guitar?"  
  
    "I don't know if your grandparents would appreciate the noise."  
  
    "Mom! I have to practice! And anyway, I can find somewhere else to practice where they won't hear me. I'm awesome like that," Mercedes whined.  
  
    "But we'll only be gone for the weekend, Quinn," Daria replied.  
  
    "But a weekend's a lot! I mean, you're taking your laptop! Music's the same way! Mom! Come on, don't you believe in the Gypsy Vixens?"  
  
    "No," Daria answered. "But I guess you do, and that's kind of important, I suppose."  
  
    Mercedes waited a moment for Daria to continue, and when she didn't, Mercedes asked, "Mom? Yes or no?"  
  
    "Yes," Daria sighed. "But hurry up. We need to get out of here!"  
  
    "Thanks, Mom! I love you!" Mercedes squealed as she ran up to get her guitar.  
  


* * *

_Lawndale, Connecticut_     "Jake, what are you doing just reading the newspaper? Daria and Mercedes will be here any moment!" Helen demanded.  
  
    "But Helen," Jake started, but Helen interrupted.  
  
    "Jake! We haven't seen them in years! We want to make a good impression so they'll come back. Especially Mercedes! She's already fifteen if you can believe it!"  
  
    "But Helen, I just saw Mercedes last year," Jake reminded. "The Gypsy Vixens are quite good."  
  
    Before Helen could say something, the doorbell rang. "Oh, that must be them!" Helen exclaimed, overly cheerful. She raced across the living room and opened the door, revealing Daria and Mercedes. "Oh, Daria, Mercedes, come in! We've been expecting you? How was your trip?"  
  
    Mercedes looked confused as she and her mother entered. "Mom, who is this woman?" she asked, deadpan.  
  
    "Like mother like daughter I see," Helen replied in her normal voice.  
  
    "Grandma!" Mercedes cried out, as if she just realized who she was talking to. "How are you? When will you ever retire?"  
  
    Helen playfully swatted the girl as she ran off to join Jake on the couch. "Hey, Mom. When _will_ you ever retire?" Daria greeted.  
  
    "Not soon enough, I suppose," Helen admitted. "But it took me so long to make partner, I don't want to give that up!"  
  
    Daria and Helen joined Jake and Mercedes on the couch just in time to catch their conversation about music.  
  
    "Yeah, and Mom said I could go to the Mystik Spiral concert on Saturday while she's at her reunion!" Mercedes said.  
  
    "That's great, Kiddo! What about your band? Any big gigs?"  
  
    Mercedes rolled her eyes. "A gig's a gig, Grandpa. I brought my guitar. Maybe I could play you something later."  
  
    "Mercedes, are you sure…" Daria started, only to be met with a glare.  
  
    "Mom! I have to make my audience happy!" Mercedes cried as if her mother was crazy. "Oh, I want your room. Is the padding still on the walls?"  
  
    "No, honey, we took that down--" Helen started as her cell phone rang. "Hello? What is it Jamie?" Helen got up and left the room to finish her conversation.  
  
    "Mom, I'm going upstairs to get settled," Mercedes said. She gave Jake a hug as she left.  
  
    "Hey, Kiddo, how's that teaching thing going?" Jake asked.  
  
    "Boringly," Daria replied, wondering if "boringly" was even a word. "The kids are all brain dead…well, most of them are anyway. And the ones that aren't…are The Gypsy Vixens. And they'd much rather be anywhere else."  
  
    "But at least you don't have to do it. You have that writing thing. You know, your mom and I are proud of you, Daria!" Jake said.  
  
    "Yeah. But it's ironic. I wanted out of high school just to get back into high school. And now I'm a hypocrite. I complain everyday about how I would never go back to Lawndale High, and all it took was a fifteen year old to get me to come back."  
  
    Jake looked confused, but tried to think of something to say. Mercedes and Helen came back into the room just then.  
  
    "Hey, Mom, so what's a kid to do in Lawndale?" Mercedes asked.  
  
    Before Daria could answer, Helen broke in. "You know, Mercedes, you were saying earlier that a gig is a gig, so I was thinking and…"  
  
    "What did you do, Grandma?" Mercedes voice dripped with horror.  
  
    "Well, Jamie White, an attorney I work with, he's in charge of this little fundraiser for his son's school, and they promised live music. Only the band they had booked cancelled. And I told Jamie that even though it was short notice, you'd be glad to play…"  
  
    "It pays, right?"  
  
    "Of course it does!" Helen reassured her.  
  
    "Well, okay, I guess. When?"  
  
    "Tonight, at seven p.m."  
  
    "Well, I guess Mom could take me by Lawndale High later and she can reminisce--"  
  
    "Actually, Mercedes, Jamie White's son is only ten. You'll be playing at Lawndale Elementary," Helen corrected.  
  
    "Please say that they like good music," Mercedes begged.  
  
    "Of course they do!" Helen said. "Jamie was telling me that the kids are big fans of diva Britney Britney, and they just can't get enough of that Jiffy Springs."  
  
    "Aagh!" After a breath, Mercedes looked at Helen. "You are a bad manager. No more booking gigs, okay? If you were Mom, you'd owe me you know. But you're Grandma. One lucky Grandma."  
  
    Daria smiled as she thought about her daughter performing "Puppy Love" for a bunch of ten year olds. She would pay to see that…  
  
    "Is this an open fund raiser?" Daria asked.  
  
    Daria wished she could have had a camera to capture the look of fear that befell Mercedes face.  
  



	4. A Look Back in Annoyance

Daria in: The Lawndale Reunion  
By: Claudette Helstrom  
  
Part Four: A Look Back in Annoyance  
Summary: On the eve of Daria's high school reunion, she runs into another former Lawndalian.  
  
**A/N:** I don't usually write these, but I'm going to anyway. I actually have this whole story almost finished, yes I do. I do take reviews into consideration, and I do edit some little things, which is why I post it so slowly…but major events (shipper/not shipper), are already set! Just so you know.  
  
_Lawndale, Connecticut_     On her way down to breakfast, Daria walked by the room that used to be hers. The door was cracked open, so she took a peak inside. There she saw Mercedes counting all the tips she had made the night before. Daria had to admit that Mercedes was pretty good at playing music she despised…but as Mercedes had told her mother, "you don't know what the people like, and you have to keep the audience happy." The school had brought in a lot of money, too.  
  
    Daria continued walking downstairs and into the living room, where she could smell breakfast cooking. _Please, not a Jake Morgendorffer experiment_, Daria thought.  
  
    She continued walking into the kitchen to see Helen making breakfast. Daria sat at the breakfast nook as she tried to calculate the odds of Helen Morgendorffer ever making breakfast.  
  
    Helen looked up from the eggs she was beating. "Oh, hi Daria!" she greeted in that tone that was usually reserved for her cell phone. "I've decided to take the day off, so I'm making you girls breakfast!"  
  
    "Who are you and what have you done with the real Helen Morgendorffer?" Daria asked, deadpan.  
  
    Helen shook off the reply and continued cooking. A few minutes later Jake and Mercedes came down.  
  
    "Hmm, smells good," Mercedes murmured as she sat down at the kitchen table, followed by Jake and Daria.  
  
    "I made pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs," Helen said.  
  
    "Wow! Thanks, Grandma!"  
  
    Helen nodded as she started serving breakfast.  
  
    "No problem, sweetie. By the way, you did a great job last night. But I promise to ask you first before I rope you into anything, I swear."  
  
    "It's okay, Grandma. I already know how you're going to make it up to me."  
  


* * *

    Daria couldn't believe that Mercedes had made Helen go with her to spend her tips, but she was kind of glad she did. That meant she could explore Lawndale on her own. It had been five years since she set foot in Lawndale, and only then because she had gotten invited to Tom Sloane's wedding, and only then because Mercedes wanted to be the flower girl. Daria couldn't get over how much things had changed, and yet they hadn't. Pizza King was still where it was, as was Degas Street, but it was a whole new generation. Things were different even if it was just the people themselves.  
  
    Tokyo Toby's was now a Fishy Joe's, and though Daria wasn't necessarily a big fan of seafood, she was hungry, and thanks to her and Mercedes both not knowing how to cook, she definitely didn't want burgers. And pizza was even starting to loose it's appeal. So Fishy Joe's looked like a winner to her.  
  
    Daria ordered her food and sat down at a table waiting for her order to be called. She had been sitting there a few moments when she heard a high pitched and squeaky voice calling out, "Daria!"  
  
    Daria turned to the direction the voice was coming from and saw…_Brittany Taylor_?  
  
    Brittany walked over to Daria's table. "Daria Morgendorffer, that _is_ you!"  
  
    "Hello, Brittany."  
  
    Daria offered Brittany a seat, and she took it. "So, Daria, are you in town for the _re_union?"  
  
    Daria sighed. "Yes, through no fault of my own." Daria cursed Mercedes mentally.  
  
    "That's _great_! I didn't know if I should go, but Charles said that I _should_! He said I would be the _envy_ of any other girl there!"  
  
    "Charles?" Daria asked. It was a common enough name, but still…  
  
    "Upchuck! I married him after _college_! He had started his own _Internet_ company and got _rich_! And he started _working_ out! So of _course_ I married him!" Brittany explained showing Daria her ring. "And we have _two_ great kids! Allison and James!"  
  
    "That's great, Brittany," Daria said looking at the ring.  
  
    "What about _you_? What have you been _up_ to?" Brittany wondered.  
  
    "I got back together with Tom Sloane in college, only to break up with him after college, but not before he left me with a little souvenir. I thought that a Mercedes would have been as great a gift, but since I had the baby, I named her Mercedes. I started writing the Melody Powers series and it was selling great, but I decided that I needed some extra money every now and then, so I decided to teach English to the brain dead. And since there's uranium in the water there, I decided that the best place to do that was in Highland. Though in hindsight, I probably shouldn't have exposed Mercedes to undrinkable water."  
  
    Brittany giggled. "Daria, you haven't _changed_ a bit!"  
  
    They continued on a trip down memory road until their food came. After they ate and left, Daria knew one thing was definitely true.  
  
    She definitely didn't belong in Lawndale.  
  



	5. That Was Then, This Is Dumb

Daria in: The Lawndale Reunion  
By: Claudette Helstrom  
  
Part Five: That Was Then, This Is Dumb  
Summary: Daria attends her high school reunion and gets a few surprises.  
  
_Lawndale, Connecticut_  
  
    Daria couldn't believe it was Saturday already. Mercedes had made her mom go shopping earlier that day so she'd have a "knock-em dead" dress--presentation was everything, Mercedes said. Which was why Daria was supposed to not freak out when Mercedes had pierced her belly button. Not that Daria was too upset…she had done the same thing once upon a time. But the difference was if Mercedes had asked, Daria would have actually said yes.  
  
    Mercedes was busy getting ready for her Mystik Spiral concert. She had asked her mom if she thought Trent would sign her guitar, and her mom reminded her to get autographs for the girls back home. Mercedes decided to get Trent and Jesse to sign her CD and Max and Nick to sign her poster.  
  
    "Mercedes, hurry up! We'll be late!" Daria demanded. Daria couldn't help but wonder why the girls in her family seemed to take after their aunts. Before deciding that they were really clones of said aunts, Mercedes finally appeared, ready to go. Daria smiled as she thought that she looked like a punk rock Quinn…and that was scary on so many levels.  
  
    "I'm ready, Mom. Can I drive?"  
  
    Daria almost considered it, but then remembered that there were such things as child endangerment laws. "Do I look like I've suffered a massive head injury?"  
  
    Mercedes rolled her eyes, and the two left Chez Morgendorffer, on their ways to an unforgettable night…no matter how many years of therapy, in Daria's case.  
  


* * *

    "So you really did come," Jodie greeted Daria as she looked for her name tag. "I thought that maybe you were pulling my leg."  
  
    "I came so I could drag Mercedes along to punish her, but she's having the time of her life. Stupid backfiring schemes," Daria responded as she took her nametag and put it on.  
  
    Jodie rolled her eyes. "Well, I hope you have fun anyway."  
  
    Daria entered the Lawndale gymnasium. Bad memories flooded her right away. She made a mental note to stay far away from the thirtieth reunion…but she was going to make sure Mercedes went to at least one high school reunion.  
  
    Daria climbed up into the bleachers like she had the last time she went to a Lawndale dance…forever ago. Nothing like a high school reunion to remind someone how old they were, Daria thought.  
  
    Daria looked out at the "happy" former students and faculty. Miss Li and Mr. Di Martino were fighting, like always. Mr. O'Neill and Miss Barch were dancing. Sure enough, Brittany Ruttheimer was there with Upchuck. And of course, Jodie was with Mack. It made her stomach hurt.  
  
    "Is this a private party?" a voice asked from next to her.  
  
    "Eep!" Daria had been so caught up in her own thoughts, she hadn't noticed anyone else climb onto the bleachers. She turned around to see…  
  
    "_Jane_?"  
  


* * *

    "So, I joined the proud tradition of the travelling Lanes. Mom happened to be home when the invitations came out and she told me, and I decided the fallout might be great for my muse. Why are you here, though? You're the last person I'd expect to see here," Jane said after the two rejoined the reunion.  
  
    "It's what I get for mixing with Sloanes. My daughter Mercedes RSVPed for me, and Jodie called to check it out. I decided to punish her by making her come to Lawndale with me. Damn Mystik Spiral being in town the same weekend I'm being tortured."  
  
    "Your daughter's at Trent's concert?"  
  
    "She's a big Mystik Spiral fan. She practically worships the ground Trent walks on," Daria answered.  
  
    "Must run in the family," Jane joked.  
  
    Daria gave her a glare. "Mercedes is in a band called The Gypsy Vixens. You've never heard 'Freakin Friends' at it's worst until you hear The Gypsy Vixens cover it. But, they do have regular gigs like Spiral."  
  
    "And she's a Sloane?"  
  
    Before Daria answered that in her classic style, Upchuck approached her. "Why, if it isn't the fair lady Morgendorffer! A dance to catch up?"  
  
    Daria rolled her eyes. "Being married has made you smoother Upchuck. And I don't dance. But, alright, I guess."  
  
    Daria followed Upchuck out onto the dance floor and they started dancing to the song. "Brittany tells me she saw you yesterday."  
  
    "Yes, at Fishy Joe's," Daria replied. "She told me about your kids and your Internet company. But she didn't tell me about what she does."  
  
    "She's a model slash housewife," Upchuck said. "She models the merchandise for my site, and when she's not doing that, she's watching the kids."  
  
    "I'm afraid to ask what company…"  
  
    "Then go with that feeling."  
  
    After the dance, they said their see you laters, and Daria walked back over to Jane.  
  
    "You know, life after high school isn't as much like high school as I thought…"  
  


* * *

    "You know, Daria, you and Trent are both in town for a limited time. You two should catch up," Jane suggested. "And that's not the Yenta act talking."  
  
    "But Mercedes and I have to leave tomorrow night. There wouldn't be enough time."  
  
    "So stay until Monday! I'm sure Mercedes won't mind missing an extra day of school, and it's not like you have to teach. What do you say, amiga? I'll stay as long as you do so you won't be completely bored out of your mind. But I really think you and Trent should catch up, especially if your daughter is such a Spiral fan."  
  
    Daria thought about it. Should she?  
  



	6. That Was Then, This Is Dumb Part 2

Daria in: The Lawndale Reunion  
By: Claudette Helstrom  
  
Part Six: That Was Then, This is Dumb Part 2  
Summary: Mercedes goes to the Mystik Spiral concert and gets a surprise.  
  
_Lawndale, Connecticut_  
  
    "We're Mystik Spiral and we'll be back for the second set!" Trent told the audience.  
  
    "This was the first set!" Jesse added in case somebody didn't know that.  
  
    Mercedes approached Trent after he left the stage. She felt kind of dumb, but she had to do this.  
  
    "Um, excuse me, Trent Lane? I feel like such a spaz for asking this, but I'm a big fan of yours and I was wondering if you could autograph my guitar?" she asked, holding up her guitar for emphasis.  
  
    "Sure," Trent said as he took the guitar. "You look familiar, kid. What's your name?"  
  
    Trent Lane thought she looked familiar? That was good…right? "Mercedes Sloane," she answered.  
  
    Trent's brow creased. "Sloane?" he asked as he handed back the guitar. "Of the Lawndale Sloanes?"  
  
    Mercedes growled. She hated being referred to that way. "No. Of the Highland Morgendorffers," she told him matter-of-factly.  
  
    Trent did a laugh/cough thing. "Morgendorffer? That must be why you look so familiar. Do you know Daria's sister?"  
  
    Mercedes chuckled. "You mean Aunt Quinn?"  
  
    "That's her name," Trent said. After a pause, he added, "Wait a minute, that means…"  
  
    "My mom is Daria," she finished, realizing fully what he just said. "Wait, you know my mother?"  
  


* * *

    After the concert, Trent asked Mercedes if she wanted a ride back to her grandparents, and she agreed. She called her mom and left a voice mail on her cell to let her know where she was.  
  
    During the car ride, they got to talking. "So, Mercedes, your mom writes those Melody Powers books, right? They're good. I mean, even the other guys read them."  
  
    Mercedes smiled. She loved it when people complimented her mother. "Yeah. She's also my English teacher. I don't know why, but I'm glad. It makes high school almost bearable."  
  
    Trent did his laugh/cough thing. "I know how that is. I went to high school once, too. It's not easy when you're in a band, either. I mean, it's hard to concentrate on your music."  
  
    "I know what you mean!" Mercedes said. "Like, on weekdays we can practice in my garage, but only until five! That's only two hours, less if any of us get detention. I tried explaining it to Mom, but she said that she can't write and listen to us practice at the same time. And I respect that. But sometimes I don't think she gets it!"  
  
    "She does get it," Trent told her. "I've known your mom a long time, remember? But your mom also believes in a good education to fall back on. I guess she's trying to make sure you have options."  
  
    "You know, I could get into Bromwell just by smiling," Mercedes said.  
  
    "Something tells me you have morals," Trent said, his brow creasing again.  
  
    They were silent for a few moments before Trent broke the silence. "How long are you and your mom in Lawndale for?"  
  
    "Until tomorrow," Mercedes said.  
  
    "Oh." Trent was kind of hoping to have more time to catch up with Daria.  
  
    Mercedes picked up on the disappointment in his voice, and said, "You know, I could probably get my mom to stay until Monday, and you two could catch up if you wanted to."  
  
    "Don't you have school?" Trent asked.  
  
    "Do you think I care? Come on, Trent! It'll be my pleasure! I mean, this is the coolest day of my life. All I wanted was a few autographs, and I get to ride home with Trent Lane! I have to repay you somehow, and I think you'd actually like spending some time with my mom."  
  
    They rode in silence until they got to the Morgendorffer home. Mercedes thanked Trent for the ride and the autographs, and gave him her cell phone number in case he decided to take her mother out.  
  


* * *

    Trent went for a ride around Lawndale. He was the Lane most likely to come home, and the town still changed every time he came home. He wondered why that was.  
  
    Trent thought back to the last time he had seen Daria. He knew she had been in town a few years before when he wasn't, but the last time he had actually seen her was…  
  
    Probably right after she and Janey had graduated from their colleges. And then Daria moved back to Highland. He didn't know why, he just knew she did.  
  
    Mercedes said that if he wanted, she could probably get Daria to stay until Monday. That would give him a day to catch up.  
  
    He thought about this. Should he?  
  



	7. Of Human Bonding

Daria in: The Lawndale Reunion  
By: Claudette Helstrom  
  
Part Seven: Of Human Bonding  
Summary: Because of more outside interference, Trent and Daria spend a day together.  
  
_Lawndale, Connecticut_  
  
    Mercedes was awoken by her cell phone ringing. She looked at the clock in the room. It was four in the morning.  
  
    After deciding that even her Highland friends wouldn't call at two am, she decided to answer it. "Hello?" she answered groggily.  
  
    "Hey, Mercedes? Did I wake you?"  
  
    Mercedes woke up a bit more when she recognized the voice. "Oh, no, don't worry about it, Trent. I'll just take a nap later. What's up?"  
  
    "Well, I thought about what you said, Mercedes," Trent said. "And…I really would like to catch up with your mom."  
  
    Mercedes smiled. She was very proud of herself. "Don't worry, Trent. Just leave it to me."  
  


* * *

    Daria awoke the next morning still thinking about what Jane had said. But it had been…over fifteen years since she had last seen Trent. He wouldn't want to catch up with her.  
  
    She got dressed and ready for breakfast. On her way down the hallway, though, she nearly tripped over a sleeping Mercedes.  
  
    "Afraid the bed will eat you?" Daria asked as Mercedes woke up.  
  
    "No, I just didn't want to miss you before you went down to breakfast. Mom, why don't we wait until tomorrow night to go back to Highland? I mean, I so rarely get to see the grandparents, and it would be fun to spend today with them. And I'm sure there are some people you could spend this extra day with catching up?"  
  
    "Mercedes, you have school tomorrow," Daria reminded.  
  
    "And after I call Ashley, Alicia, and Meredith and tell them I'm not coming back until Tuesday, I'll be covered. Anyway, I already called the airport at four thirty this morning and told them that we'd be staying an extra day."  
  
    Daria made a mental note to kill Mercedes later. "Well, seeing as I have no choice but to stay in Lawndale an extra day, I guess there is somebody I kind of want to catch up with. Now hurry up and get downstairs for breakfast."  
  


* * *

    When Mercedes had called and said that she and Daria were staying an extra day, Trent was overjoyed. He immediately took the opportunity to call Daria, who said she'd be glad to spend the day with him. Trent told her he'd pick her up at one, and this was one thing he was hoping not to be late for.  
  
    Jane noticed Trent rushing to get ready. "Where's the fire?" she asked.  
  
    "I didn't start any fires," Trent answered.  
  
    Jane laughed. "What's the rush, Trent?"  
  
    "I'm spending the day with Daria," he told her.  
  
    "So my advice to Daria paid off," Jane said, proud.  
  
    "What advice?" Trent asked. "Daria's daughter Mercedes set it up. I told her I wanted to catch up with her mother, and she got Daria to stay an extra day so I could ask."  
  
    "Really?" There was some Quinn in that girl, Jane could see. "I've got an idea. Since you already got to know Mercedes, and I've already caught up with Daria, we'll switch. I've got to see this girl, especially if she's the spawn of Daria."  
  


* * *

    Daria thought that leaving Mercedes in the care of a "babysitter" was perfect payback, even if that babysitter was Jane. She wondered what fun things they were doing as she and Trent went down Degas Street.  
  
    They had had a fun day. They went to Pizza Prince and McGrundy's Pub and a few other places they used to go in the good old days. But as it was winding down, Daria had an idea. Why should Mercedes be the only one with a pierced navel?  
  
    Trent asked Daria if she was sure, and she said she was. Part of the reason she had wanted to do this again was just so she could have that moment with Trent.  
  
    After they left Axl's, Daria with a new belly button ring, they went to the park. They didn't do much there but just enjoy each other's company.  
  
    Daria didn't know what had possessed her, but something had. "Trent, you know that I used to have the biggest crush on you?"  
  
    Trent smiled. "Really?" Daria nodded. "Well, I used to have kind of a crush on you. Only, you know. You were Janey's friend."  
  
    "Oh." If Trent thought that…  
  
    "But, I guess you are my friend, too."  
  
    Daria started to blush, but Trent swooped down with a kiss. After they broke it, Trent broke the silence.  
  
    "Maybe I'll stop by when we tour Highland."  
  
    "I'd like that, Trent," Daria said. Then she kissed him back.  
  



End file.
